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(No Model,') 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J A. STORM-S & T. A.ARNOLD.

GAR COUPLING.

Patentedfe 23,1886. v

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J. A. STORMS & T. A. ARNOLD.

' UAR COUPLING- Patent 23, 1886.

(No Model.)

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2 jaws, as is usual in cai couplings, our inven- UNITED STATES PATENT.GFFICEe JAMES A. STORMS AND THEODORE A. ARNOLD, OF NORTH TARRYTOYVN, N.Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,871, dated February23, 1886.

Application filed July 2, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES A. STORMS and THEODORE A. ARNOLD, citizens ofthe United States, residing at the village of North Tarrytown, in thecounty of Vestchester and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front view of a car-coupling with our invention appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a vertical section on the line 33, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a verticalsection of the drawhead on the line 4 4, the sliding jaws and theiroperating devices being removed. Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofthecoupling-bar detached. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6, Fig. 5,looking upward.

A represents the d rawhead, which may be attached to a car in anypreferred manner. It is provided with a flaring mouth or throat, whichguides the cou pling-bar to the engaging tion difiering from thoseusually employed in dispensing with the top and bottom walls of I thethroat, for a purpose which which will be described.

B B represent the sliding coupling-jaws, which normally project out intothe throat of the draw-head in the path of the couplingbar, the frontedges of these jaws being .beveled, so that as the end of thecoupling-bar comes in contact therewith they shall be forced into thechambers K formed for their reception in the sides of the draw-head.

O O are springs, which operate to force the sliding blocks or jaws B Boutward into the throat of the draw-head. They may be of any form orcharacter, though we have shown for the sake of illustration and preferto use those of a spiral form, situated between the jaws B B and therear walls of the chambers K, the springs surrounding pins 0, which holdthem in proper position to operate with the great estadvantage againstthe sliding jaws.

b b are apertures in the sliding blocks,which permit them to slide overthe pins 0 as they (the blocks) are forced into their respective seatsor chambers K. i

Serial No. 170,532.

(No model.)

we connect the sliding jaws with a lever situated upon one side of thedraw-head, which simultaneously moves the jaws in opposite directionsinto theirseats orsockets and releases the coupling-bar.

E F are bars or links sliding-in grooves or ways L l\[,f0rmed in thedraw-head, and connected, respectively, at their inner ends with thejawsB B, and at their' outer ends to the operating-lever G in the manner tobe described.

In order that the lever G may work in the most satisfactory manner, theouter projecting end of one of the sliding bars should lie above theother, and for the sake of convenience and simplicity in construction wearrange the bar F above bar E throughout its entire length, though theways or slots L M might be in the same horizontal plane, and only theouter end ofone of the links lie above the other. The groot e L isdeeper and longer than the one M, in order that the link or bar E maypass in rear of the curved seat a for the head of the coupling-bar inrear of thejaws B B, and engage with the jaw B by means ofa pin orabutment, D, carried thereby, and projecting rearwardly into the path ofthe link E.

D is a pin-projecting from the rear face of the jaw B into the way orslot M, and eX- tending through an aperture or slot formed in the leverF near its inner end. It will now be seen that if the link E bethrustinward,and the link F be drawn outward,the sliding jaws B B willbe withdrawn into their seats K against the pressureof the springs, thusleaving the throat of the draw-head perfectly free for the removing ofthe coupling-bar.

We have shown a method of attaching the operating-lever G to the bars EF which allows of this movementthat is, the simultaneous withdrawal ofthe jaws. The lower bar, E, is extended somewhat beyond the end of barF, and is provided with a recess or seat, H, the bar F being providedwith a rectangular hole or aperture, 1', the bar being expanded at thispoint to give the requisite strength, should the arrow, Fig. 1, thelinks or bars E and F will be shifted in opposite directions, the one Einward and the one F outward, and

i that the sliding jaws will be thereby drawn or forced into their seatswithin the chambers K. The leverG may be extended to the top of the car,or it may be fitted with any mechanism which will permit it to beoperated from either or both sides of the car, as may be found mostdesirable; and it will also be understood that our invention would beoperative were the links E and F and the lever G arranged horizontallyinstead of vertically.

\Vhile we have shown a loose or detachable connection between thesliding jaws and their operating links or bars, yet this is notessential, as these connections may be permanent and rigid, although weprefer the forms shown. The bar E is shown as cut away upon its frontedge at e, in order to permit it to slide to the necessary extent pastthe seat a without interference from the coupling-bar.

The various chambers K L M within the draw-head may be formed during theprocess of casting by cores, the draw-head being thus formed of a singlepiece of metal, in which case the pins 0 may be put in place by drillingholes for their reception and inserting them from the outside; or thedraw-head may be made of two or more cast pieces bolted or otherwisesecured together. However the draw-head may be formed, it will be seenthat all the operative mechanism is concealed within and protected bythe draw-head, the only exposed parts being the ends of bars E and F andthe operating-lei er, this arrangement being advantageous, as itprotects the springs and other parts of the mechanism, which would beliable to become broken were they unprotected.

Nrepresents the coupling-bar, having arrow shaped ends, the shoulders nof which engage with the jaws B B. The thickness or vertical dimensionof the b.1r is much greater than in coupling-bars as now ordinarilyemployed, and is greater than the thickness of thejaws with which itengages, and also preferably greater than the thickness of the drawhead,this construction enabling us to couple together cars the draw-heads ofwhich vary considerably in height, and yet permit the bar to lie in asubstantially horizontal plane, in which position the bar operates mostadvantageously.

n n are shoulders at the top of the bar N, and projecting a shortdistance toward the center of the bar from the shoulders n. WVhen thecoupling is in place, these shoulders a rest upon the top of the jaws BB, and prevent it from falling below and out of reach of the jaws, as itwould otherwise do, owing to the absence of the lower wall of the mouthor throat of the coupler. Should one of the jaws fail to engage with thecorresponding shoulder, a, of the coupling-bar as it is forced into thebe also provided with apertures n, to reduce I its weight and the amountof metal required for its manufacture.

NVe have shown the draw-head provided with a recess, 0, and pin-hole 0,adapted to receive an ordinary coupling link and pin, which may beemployed should it be necessary to couple a car provided with our devicewith one having the old style of coupler.

\Ve are aware that car-coupling devices consisting of gripping-jaws,springs which force the jaws toward each other, and mechanism foropening the jaws have been used in combination with substantiallyarrow-headed coupling-bars, the engaging heads of which are longer thanthe vertical dimensions of the gripping-jaws, and we do not claim suchde' vices, broadly, as our invention; but we believe ourselves to bethetirst to haveconstructed a rigid draw-head, the throat of which iswithout top or bottom walls, and to mountin such a rigid draw-headgripping-jaws projecting out into the throat of the drawhead, such anarrangement permitting the use of our jaw-operating mechanism, and atthe same time being particularly adapted for use in combination with acoupling-bar of the character herein described.

That we claim is 1. The combination ofthe draw-head provided with thechambers K,slidingjaws mounted in said chambers, coiled springs situatedbetween the jaws and the rear walls of the chambers, the pins 0,projecting from the rear walls of the chambers and serving assupportsfor the springs by which they are surrounded, and a lever connected withsaidjaws, adapted to simultaneously move them in opposite directionsagainst the springs, the said jaws being provided with sockets b,whereby they may slide over pins cas they are drawn within the chambers,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a draw-head, the sliding jaws, springs which forcesaid jaws into the throat of the draw-head, links or sliding barsconnected one with each sliding jaw, and both extending to the same sideof the draw-head, and a lever which simulta neously moves said links toforce the jaws out of the throat of the draw-head, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination of a draw-head, the sliding jaws, springs which forcesaid jaws into the throat of the draw-head, links or sliding barsconnected one with each sliding jaw and both extending to the same sideof the draw-head, said links being of difierent lengths, and a leversituated at the side of the draw-head, and connected with said links andthroat of the draw-head, the bar will still be l adapted tosimultaneouslymove them and the jaws in opposite directions,substantially as set forth.

4.. The combination of a draw-head, the sliding jaws, springs whichforce said jaws into the throat of the draw-head, links or sliding barsconnected one with each jaw and both extending to the same side of thedrawhead, the outer end of one of the links being situated directly overthe outer end of the other link, and a lever connecting the ends of saidlinks and adapted to simultaneously move them and the jaws in oppositedirections, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the draw-head, the sliding jaws, the springs whichbear against said jaws, links connected with the sliding jaws andextending to one side of the drawhead, one link lying above the other,and a lever connected to said links and adapted to move them and thejaws in opposite directions, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the draw-head provided with a throat for theentrance of a coupling-bar, slidingjaws situated upon opposite sides ofsaid throat, springs which bear against said jaws, links connected withsaid jaws and extending to one side of the drawhead, one of said linkspassing in rear of the throat in the draw-head. and a lever connectcd tosaid links and adapted to move them and the jaws in opposite directions,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the draw-head, the sliding jaws B B, said jawsbeing provided, respectively,with rearwardly-projecting pins D D, linkE,which bears against the pin D, link F,Which engages with pin D, saidlinks extending to one side of the draw-head, and a lever connected withsaid links and adapted to move them and the jaws in opposite directions,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the draw-head, the slidingjaws, the spring bearingagainst the jaws, links connected at their inner ends to the jaws andextending to one side of the draw-head, and a lever pivoted to one linkand projecting through an aperture in the other link,whereby it isadapted to move said links simultaneously in opposite directions,substantially as set forth.

9. A draw-head having a throat for the entrance of the coupling-bar,chambers K K,situated upon opposite sides of the throat for thereception of the gripping-jaws, and the ways L M,connected,respeetively,with the opposite chambers K and extending bot-hto the side of the drawhead, and adapted to receive the jaw-operatinglevers, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of a rigid draw-head provided with a throat for theentrance of the coupling-bar, having side guiding-Walls, but without topor bottom walls, sliding grippingjaws mounted within said rigiddraw-head, mechanism which operates said jaws, and a coupling-bar whichengages with said jaws, and is provided with stops or shoulders whichprevent the bar from falling out of engagement with the gripping-jaws,substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with a rigid drawhead provided with a throat forthe entrance of the coupling-bar, having side guidingwalls,,but withouttop or bottom walls, sliding gripping -jaws mounted within said rigiddraw-head, and mechanism which operates said jaws, of acouplingbaradapted to engage with said jaws, provided with stops which prevent thebar from falling out of engagement with the jaws and being of a verticaldimension greater than, the thickness of the draw-head, substantially asset forth.

12. A coupling-bar provided atits opposite ends with substantially arrowshaped heads adapted to engage with grippingjaws, the bar being of avertical dimension greater than the gripping -jaws with which itengages, and provided, also, at its upper edge, in proximity to thearrow shaped heads, with outwardly-projecting shoulders na,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES A. STORMS. THEODORE 'A. ARNOLD.

\Vit-nesses:

E. T. Lovivr'r, ABRAM STORMS.

